Mother's Remedies - Thomas Jefferson Ritter (guided reading books .txt) 📗

the throat from well up behind the ear nearly to the chin, also just in front of the ear. This will soon penetrate through to the tonsils; apply freely if the case is severe and later apply hot cloths if relief does not follow without."

3. Tonsilitis, Borax Water for.—"One-fourth teaspoonful borax in one cup of hot water, gargle frequently." This may be used for ordinary sore throat not quite so strong.

4. Tonsilitis, Salt and Pepper Will Relieve.—"Apply salt pork well covered with pepper to the swollen parts; will often give relief."

5. Tonsilitis, Peroxide of Hydrogen Will Cure.—"Tonsilitis and contagious sore throats are just now extremely popular. Persons having a tendency to them will seldom be sick if they gargle daily with a solution of peroxide of hydrogen and water in equal parts for adults. Peroxide diluted with five parts of water and used as a head spray will prevent catarrhal colds." Children, are often sent to school immediately after an attack of tonsilitis, when they should be at home taking a tonic and building up by a week of outdoor play.

6. Tonsilitis, a Remedy Effective for.—"Rub the outside of the throat well with oil of anise and turpentine, and keep the bowels open." Care should be taken not to take cold. The anise is very soothing and the turpentine will help to draw out the soreness. This would be a good remedy for children.

[INFECTIOUS DISEASES 189]

PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Tonsilitis. 1. First Home Treatment.—Put the patient to bed alone in a pleasant room, comfortably warm; for this disease is recorded as contagious in this form. Cold applied externally around the sore spot is good. Use an ice bag if you have it; or wring cloths out of cold water and put just under the jaw and a flannel over that, bound around the neck. It must be changed often to keep cold.

2. Smartweed.—Cloths wrung out of smartweed tea are very good when applied under the jaw.

3. Salt Pork.—Salt pork, well salted and peppered, sewn to a cloth and applied on both sides, if both are diseased, directly to the lumps is very good. These can be kept on indefinitely. I have used them.

4. Liniment.—A strong blistering liniment applied externally where the lumps are is also good. These applications tend to withdraw some of the blood from the sore tonsils, and of course, that relieves them. There are many such that can be used. Poultices should not be applied for this form as they tend to hasten formation of pus.

5. Internally.—Dip your clean moistened finger tip into dry bicarbonate of soda (baking soda), rub this gently on the sore tonsil and repeat it every hour. You can also put one teaspoonful of it in one-half glass of very hot water and gargle if you do not use it locally.

6. Hot Water.—Gargling frequently with very hot water is splendid. If you wish you can use one teaspoonful of some antiseptic, like listerine, in it.

7. Thyme.—You can make a tea of the common garden thyme and gargle or rinse your mouth and throat with it every half to one hour. This is not only healing and soothing, but it is also antiseptic. This is a constituent of many of the antiseptic preparations.

8. Steaming With Compound Tincture of Benzoin.—Tincture of benzoin is splendid. Put one tablespoonful in a quart of hot water and inhale the steam. Put a sheet over your head and pitcher; or put it in a kettle, and roll white writing paper into a funnel, tie one part over the spout and put the other end in your mouth if possible; or you can inhale simple steam in the same way. I know this is excellent and often recommended; everyone has it, and it costs literally nothing, except to heat the water.

9. For the Pain.—Dissolve two drams of chloral hydrate in an ounce of water, use a camel's hair pencil if you have it, or a soft piece of cloth tied on a smooth stick, and apply directly to the diseased parts. This is for older persons, relieves the pain very much. There are many other simple remedies that can be used in this way.

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10. MEDICINES. Parke, Davis & Co., Anti-Tonsilitis Tablet No. 645 is very good. This can be bought at any drug store. For a child give one-half a tablet every two hours for four doses, then every three hours. An adult can take one to two every one to three hours according to the severity of the case.

11. Aspirin.—Aspirin is another good remedy; five grains every four hours for an adult; but used only under doctor's directions.

12. Dr. Hare of Philadelphia, uses 1/200 grain mercurius biniodide (pink powder) every four to six hours to abort tonsilitis. I would recommend the following:—Give one-tenth drop dose of a good tincture of aconite and 1/200 grain of the mercury biniodide (one to two tablets a dose) every hour, alternately, one of them one hour and the next, etc. If there is much deposit I would put ten tablets of mercury protoiodide (one-tenth of a grain in a tablet) in one-half glass of water and give two teaspoonfuls every hour until the bowels move freely, then every three to four hours. The aconite can be used if there is much fever, with hot, dry skin, alternately everyone-half hour. I prefer the pink powder when there is no deposit or membrane. These I have used for years, and know them to be excellent. For children the dose is about one-half. After twelve hours the remedies should be given only every three to four hours.

QUINSY. (Suppurative Tonsilitis).—In from two to four days the enlarged gland becomes softer and finally may break, sometimes in the pharynx; the breaking gives the patient great relief. Suffocation has sometimes followed the rupture of a large abscess and the entrance of the pus into the larynx. This form of tonsilitis was formerly called quinsy. By this term now is meant an abscess around the tonsils, (Peri-tonsilar abscess). The structures are very much swollen.

Causes are somewhat similar to what has produced the regular tonsilitis. It may follow exposure to cold and wet, and is very liable to recur. It is most common between fourteen and twenty-five years. The inflammation here is more deeply seated. It involves the main tissue of the tonsil and tends to go on to suppuration.

Symptoms.—The general disturbance is very great. The fever goes to 104 or 105 degrees; the pulse 110 to 120. Delirium at night is not uncommon. The weakness may be extreme. The throat is dry and sore, hurts terribly to swallow, this being the first thing of which the patient complains. Both tonsils may be involved. They become large, firm to the touch, dusky red and swollen, and the surrounding parts are also much swollen. The swelling may be so great that the tonsils may touch each other or one tonsil may push the uvula aside and almost touch the other tonsil. There is much saliva. The glands of the neck enlarge, the lower jaw is almost immovable and sometimes it is almost impossible to open the mouth at all.

QUINSY. Mothers' Remedies. 1. Willow Gargle for.—"Steep pussy willow and gargle throat with it. This remedy if taken in time, will cure quinsy and it will not return."

[INFECTIOUS DISEASES 191]

2. Quinsy, Liveforever Root Good Poultice for.—"Get the root of liveforever, pound it up and bind on throat as you would a poultice." We have tried this, and it has always given relief, if done in time.

3. Quinsy, Plaster of Lard and Salt for.—"Take one tablespoonful lard and stir into as much table salt as possible making it about like mortar. Spread on a cloth and apply." Splendid for sore throat and quinsy.

4. Quinsy, Oil of Anise Effective for.—"Rub inside of throat with oil of anise."

5. Quinsy, Quick Remedy for.—"In severe cases of quinsy where the tonsils are inflamed and almost meet, a third of a grain of mercury and chalk, or "gray powder," acts very quickly. Cold compresses used nightly to harden the throat is very good. At night use a gargle made of a teaspoonful tincture of cayenne pepper to half pint of water." This remedy is very good and is sure to give relief.

6. Quinsy, Pleasant Peppermint Application for.—"There is nothing better for this disease than oil of peppermint applied externally to the neck and throat." This is an excellent remedy.

7. Quinsy, Kerosene Good for.—"A cloth wet with kerosene oil applied to the throat is very good; also gargling with kerosene oil." Repeat the application of the wet cloths every two or three hours.

8. Quinsy, Raw Beef Has Cured.—"Bind raw beefsteak over the tonsils on one or both sides of the throat as required." The beefsteak acts as a poultice and counter-irritant, drawing the inflammation out in a short time. This is very good, and is easily prepared.

9. Quinsy, Easy and Simple Remedy for.—"Strong sulphur water. Broke up two cases I know."

PHYSICIANS' TREATMENT for Quinsy.—The external applications used should now be hot. Hot water; hot poultices, cloths wrung out of smartweed hot, and thyme tea or golden seal teas. The same steaming process and hot water gargles can be used as given under follicular tonsilitis. But if it continues the tonsils or tonsil must be opened to save pain and life. Just as soon as there is suppuration they should be opened. It will feel softer to the finger touch when ready for opening.

Prevention of Attacks.—By taking care a good many attacks of tonsilitis can be avoided. A person subject to this trouble must be careful about taking cold. He should not sit down with wet clothes, or feet, or shoes that are wet. Girls should wear rubbers and keep dry feet and skirts. Sleeping in damp unused beds is bad. Putting on underwear that has not been dried thoroughly and aired, and the use of bedding, pillows, etc., in the same condition should not be tolerated. Sleeping on the first floor is generally unhealthy for such persons, for it is generally damp.

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Do not get chilled; wear sufficient clothing. Drying clothes in a kitchen is an abomination and terrible to one subject to this disease or rheumatism. You can keep from having it so often by proper care. It is likely to return, and repeated attacks will cause permanently enlarged tonsils and they will become so diseased that they, will not only be annoying, but dangerous to health and life. You will go around with your mouth open, "talk through your nose." The tonsil must then be removed, also the adenoids in the throat, to enjoy proper mental and physical health. Enlarged tonsils with pus in them are a menace to anyone. A person who has had these troubles should be careful not to expose himself to the danger of taking cold after an attack.

The parts are still tender and in danger of a return upon the least error in your daily life. I once had a friend who had a return of tonsilitis brought on through going out too soon, and the second attack was worse than the first, a genuine "hummer."

What to do with enlarged tonsils.—Moderate enlargement of the tonsils giving rise to no symptoms or inconvenience need not be interfered with. When, however, the enlargement is great, or when with moderate sized tonsils there are resulting troubles, such as liability to inflammatory rheumatism attacks, active local treatment will be called for; especially is this true when the tonsils contain pus and interfere with the breathing. They should be removed. An anaesthetic is not usually necessary, as the pain is not severe.

INFLUENZA (La Grippe).—La Grippe is an acute infectious disease caused by a germ. It may be epidemic, attacking a large number of persons at one time, or it may continue in the same region for some time and is then called endemic. It is caused by a germ, discovered by a man named Pfeiffer.

The Onset.—The onset may be from one to four days and is usually sudden with a chill and all the symptoms of an active fever due to a general infection, varying according to the location. If in the organs of respiration it begins like a severe cold; active fever, severe pains in the eyes, back, arms, legs, and in the bones; "aches all over" and great prostration. After the fever subsides there is usually a general sore feeling. Symptoms of bronchitis, pleurisy or pneumonia may develop. Then there is the nervous type, generally with a bad headache, neuralgia, pains in the head, backache, legs and arms ache and prostration. May also have inflammation of nerves. Then again the stomach and bowels